Edwabd white



E. WHITE.

HOME, OFFICE, AND APARTMENT INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I5. 1919.

1,367,790. Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

'IIIIIIII.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD WHITE, 01 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOIE, OFFICE, AND APARTMENT INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

" Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed July 1, 1919. Serial No. 810,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and count of Philadelphia, btate of Pennsylvania, ave invented a new and useful Home, Ofiice, and Apartment Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel embodiment of a combined electrical call and indicating apparatus for buildings, and principally adapted for use in connection with private dwellings and apartments to signal the presence of a caller to the occupant of the apartment and slmultaneous therewith indicate a predetermined message from the person upon whom the call is being made. r L

A further object of my invention 1s to provide an indicating device comprlsing a casing, having a closure face plate provided with a translucent window located in the path of travel of a movable transparent message tape adapted to carry a plurahtyof self-explanatory messages, the tape belng contained in the casing and partially op-' posed to the inner face of the translucent window, means in said casing and extending exteriorly thereof to move saidtape rearward or forward to bring a predetermined message on said tape opposite the translucent window.

Furthermore, I provide in the casing an electric light bulb controlled by a push button switch both included in circuit with the apartment bell so that when the push button switch is operated to close the circuit, the bell will ring simultaneous with the illuminating of the light, said illumination rendering the message on the tape visible through the translucent window, normally when the circuit is open, the message on the tape is made visible through the translucent window.

Figure 1 represents a front elevational view embodying my novel indicating device.

Fig. 2 represents a section on the line 2-2 Fig.

Fig. 3 represents a section on the line 3-3 Fig. l.

Fig. 4 represents a front elevational view of the device with the front plate removed.

Fig. 5 represents a wirlng diagram showing the wire connections for my novel combined electrical call and indicating apparatus.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings.

1 designates a casing having a front open portion 2 which is closed by the cover or face plate 3 secured to the integral ears 4 of the casing by the screws 5. The face plate 3 is apertured as at 6 and this aperture is covered with a sheet of translucent material 7 to form a translucent window the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter described.

Opposed to the inner face of the sheet of translucent material 7 and contained in the casing 1, I have arranged a novel message tape 8 of transparent material whereon t messages to be indicated are printed. This message sheet may be of any desired length according to the number of different messages necessary in the operation of the device.

The movable message tape 8 is supported in the removable frame 9 consisting of the front plate 10 apertured at 11 and provided with rearwardly extending side plates 12 integral with the front plate 10. This frame is secured within the casing 1 by the screws 13. 14 designates rolls or shafts mounted in the frame 8, over which the message sheet passes and is held thereby against the inner face of the translucent sheet 7 the ends of the message tape are respectively secured to the s indles 15 and 16, revolubly mounted in the side plates 12 of the frame 9. The shafts have mounted on one end thereof the pinions 17 and 18 meshing with the gear or finger Wheel 19 mounted on the stud shaft 20 revolubly supported in the side plate 12. This gear 19 extends through an aperture 21 in the face plate 3 to locate a portion of the gear exterior of the casing to allow for the manipulation of the gear tomove the message tape forward or rearward to bring the desired message on the tape adjacent the sheet of translucent material 7.

22 designates an electric light supported by the frame 9 and is positioned in the rear of the message tape opposed to the translucent sheet 7 23 designates a ushbutton switch of the ordinary make and break type carried by the face plate 3.

Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated a diagram showing the wire connections to form the main circuit 24 and the branch circuit 25. The electric light 22 and a bell 26 are included in thecircuit with the push button 23 and the battery 27.

28 designates a perforation 1n the rear wall of the casing for the entrance of the circuit wires to within the casing to connect with the light and switch.

In the operation of my novel device, the message tape 8 is normally invisible through the translucent window; when the occupant of the apartment decides upon the message to be indicated on the device the push buttin 23 is operated to close the electric circuit to illuminate the light 22 and consequently ring the bell 26 in circuit when the llght is illuminated, the transparent message tape becomes visible through the translucent window 7 the operator then manipulates the gear or fin er wheel 19 to move the tape 1n the desire direction and distance to bring theselected message on the tape 0 posite the translucent window; likewise wit one calling on the occupant of the apartment, the push button 23 is operated to close the circuit to ring the bell 26 inthe apartment and simultaneous therewith illuminates the light 22 in the casing to render the message on the tape visible through the translucent window. Normally, with the c1rcu1t open, the message is invisible through the translucent window.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the character stated comprising an electric circuit, a lamp, and a switch included in said circuit, a casing, a translucent window, a movable transparent message member carrying a plurality of messages supported in said casing, means for moving said message member forward or rearward in the path of said translucent window to bring the desired message opposite said window, said message normally being invisible through the translucent window, said switch a apted to be operated to close said electric circuit to illuminate the interior of said casing to render the message visible through the translucent window.

2. A device of the character stated comprising an electric circuit, a lamp, and a switch included in said circuit, said indicating device consisting of a casing having a translucent window, said lamp supported in said casing in the rear of said translucent window, a movable transparent message member carrying a plurality of messages intergosed between said translucent window an said lamp, means for holdin a portion of the message member opposite i he window against the inner face thereof, means in said casing and extending exteriorly thereof for moving said message member forward or rearward in the path of said translucent window to bring t e desired message opposite said window, said message being normally invisible through the translucent window, said switch adapted to be operated to close said electric circuit to illuminate the interior of said casing to render the message visible through the translucent window.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a translucent window,

switch operable to illuminate the interior of said casing to render the message visible through the translucent window.

4. A device of the character described comprising a translucent window, a casing, an electric light bulb supported in the easing, a switch supported on the casing and in circuit with said electric light bulb, a movable transparent message member supportedin said casing and interposed between said translucent window and said light bulb, said member bearing a plurality of different messages, means for moving said message member forward and rearward in the path of said translucent window to bring the desired message opposite said window, means for holding a portion of the message member opposite the translucent window. against the inner face of said window, said message being normally invisible through the translucent window, said switch operable to illuminate the light bulb to render the message visible through thetranslucent window.

5. A device of the character described consisting of a casing, a hollow body member having a front open portion, a face plate secured to the hollow body member to form a closure for the said front open portion, a translucent window, a frame removably supported on said casing, a movable transparent message member carried on said frame, said member bearing a plurality of different messages, an electric light bulb carried on said frame in the rear of said message member, means carried on said frame and extending exteriorly of the casing for moving the message member forward and rearward in the path of the translucent window to bring the desired message opposite said window, a switch carried by the casing and in circuit with said electric light bulb, said message being normally invisible through the translucent window, said switch operable to illuminate the light bulb to render the message visible through the translucent window.

6. A device of the character stated comprising a casing consisting of a hollow body member having a front open portion, a face plate secured to the casing to form a closure for the said front open portion, said face plate provided with a translucent window, a switch on said face plate adjacent said window, a frame removably supported on said casing, a movable transparent message member carried by said frame, said member bearing; a plurality of different messages and having its end portions secured respectively to spindles revolubly mounted in said frame, pinions mounted on said spindles, a gear mounted on said frame and meshing with said gears and adapted to extend exteriorly of said casing, said gear adapted to drive said pinion in opposite directlons to move the member forward and rearward, guide rolls mounted in said frame adjacent the upper and lower edges of said translucent window to hold the message member against the inner face of the translucent window, an electric lamp carried by said frame and in electric circuit with said switch.

EDWARD WHITE.

Witnesses:

THOS. D. HOOPER, Jr., FRANK NAULTI. 

